President Obama addressed the country last night in his State of the Union address. Obama reflected on the first two years of his administration, but he also assured the American People that he would not stop there.

President Barack Obama has served half of his term in office and has tackled some
tough issues to both criticism and praise. In last nightâs State of the Union address,
he worked to bridge the gap between political parties by addressing concerns from
both sides of the aisle. Floridians recently heard new Governor Rick Scott say in his
inauguration speech that the best way to create jobs is to make Florida the best place to do business. Scott was not referenced in his speech, but President Obama shared similar
ideas on creating jobs.

Our current economic crisis has created heated debates over possible solutions. Alison
Morano is the Vice Chair of the Florida Democratic Party. She said President Obama is
leading our country well in these hard times.

Obama ran on a platform of change and is continuing that trend. He said we are at the
end of a decade of spending in excess of our budget and it is time to stop that trend.
Obama said if there are families struggling to live within their means, they deserve a
government that does the same. Obama conceded to conservative ideas on budget cuts,
but held his ground when it came to just what cuts he proposed.

Gonzolo Lever, a teacher in Hillsborough County, was visibly and verbally elated at the
mention of removing tax breaks from wealthy oil companies.

Obama also spoke about other key issues such as education. He said the Race to the
Top program is a key to his plan to bring innovation to American schools. He also said
it is important for teachers in this country to be respected by rewarding the good ones
and by no longer making excuses for those that are unsuccessful. But Obama said the
biggest key to academic success for young minds is the responsibility of the family.
Hillsborough County Democratic Party Chair Christopher Mitchell said he supports
Obamaâs plans but is concerned that state politicians may inhibit his progress.

On infrastructure development Obama was applauded by listeners when he said transit needs to be brought into the 21st century. Communications Director for the Hillsborough
County Democratic Party Nick Zateslo said he hopes state politicians will recognize the
benefits of high speed rail in Florida.

Other key topics in the eveningâs address involved the Presidentâs controversial
healthcare plan that has been derided as âObamacareâ by opposing
conservatives. Obama said everything can be improved and promised to explore further
possibilities.